Get furniture that lasts, at Ikea prices

Mid-century furniture nails the same fuss-free, function-first brief that makes IKEA so popular—think uncluttered silhouettes, human-scaled proportions and a knack for fitting into tight city floor plans—but it delivers those virtues in solid teak and rosewood instead of MDF and veneers, with joinery built to last decades rather than flat-pack life cycles.

Real‑Life Wins: My Mid‑Century Haul

Piece	Bought From	Up‑Front Cost	Restoration	Current Value	Notes
Tessa T21 Lounge Chair (fabric)	Esho Gallery, Rosebery	$150	Re‑upholstered by master upholsterer José (Rosebery) for $450	I estimate well above $600	New dark green wool gives it a modern pop.
Tessa T21 Lounge chair (leather)	Mid‑Century Avenue, Terrey Hills	$600	Good condition	TBC. Likely to rise	Compact enough for an apartment reading nook.
Parker Extendable Dining Table	As above	$1,150	Good condition	N/A	Seats 4 → 8 without stealing floor space.

Tessa chair before upholstery

These pieces have already stood the test of time for many decades — teak frames are rock‑solid, joints are dowelled not stapled — and their auction results show a steady uptick year‑on‑year.

Tessa chair after upholstery

Below you can see what other mid-century furniture items might cost for your home, compared with Ikea.

Alongside specific furniture houses already mentioned, auction sites like Lawsons and of course Marketplace and Gumtree are great places to source these types of furniture.

Mid-century furniture items costs (Typical 2‑Bed Terrace)

Item	Gumtree / DIY mid-century	IKEA New (Flat‑Pack RRP)*
Sideboard	$600–$900	$499 (IDANÄS sideboard, 156 cm)
Lounge Chair	$300	$299 (STRANDMON wingback)
Dining Suite	$800–$1,200	$699 (EKEDALEN extendable + 4 INGOLF chairs)
Lighting (×3)	$150	$75 (3× HEKTAR pendants)
Total	≈ $1,850	≈ $1,572

Final Word

Mid‑century pieces bring warmth, history and capital value to Sydney homes. Ready to start? Grab a coffee in Surry Hills and wander Vampt this weekend—or book a Terrey Hills appointment at Mid‑Century Avenue. Your future furniture is waiting.